Container having dispensing nozzle



Feb. 25, 1964 PRAHL, JR 3,122,289

CONTAINER HAVING DISPENSING NOZZLE Filed April 26, 1957 lLH;

FIG.2

2/ 2'7 4 Z I 37 z; 17 k V I K V FIG.3

IN V EN TOR.

FREDERICK A. PRAHL JR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,122,289 CONTAINER HAVING DISPENSING NOZZLE Frederick A. Prahl, In, Harvard, Mass, assignor, by mesne assignments, to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 26, 1957, Ser. No. 655,416 7 Claims. (Cl. 222-566) The present invention relates to containers having dispensing nozzles and the like and has particular reference to a container end closure member of sheet metal having a snap-on plastic nozzle for containers used to hold and dispense liquid products.

An object of the instant invention is to provide a dispensing end closure member and nozzle construction in which the nozzle may be readily and firmly attached by pressing the nozzle into an opening in the closure member and at the same time to effectively seal-0E the raw edge of the closure member material adjacent the opening to protect the raw edge against corrosion so that expensive precoating or other treatment of the raw edge to protect it, may be omitted.

Another object is to provide a nozzle which can be locked onto the closure member without projecting into the container beyond the inner face of the closure memher so as to eliminate the objectionable liquid flow obstructing shoulders found on previous devices and to thereby provide for complete emptying of the container contents.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a container having a dispensing end closure member embodying the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the portion of the closure member which includes a dispensing nozzle; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a slightly modified form of the invention.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate a sheet material container 11 (FIG. 1) for liquid products. The container 11 comprises a tubular body 12 preferably made of polyethylene or other suitable plastic materials, and top and bottom end closure members 13, 14 preferably made of sheet metal and permanently secured to the body in suitable end seams 15.

The top end closure member 13 preferably is formed with a countersunk panel 17 plated or coated on its opposite faces and having a filling and dispensing opening 18. The opening 18 is surrounded by a short upstanding neck 19 for the reception of a dispensing nozzle 21. The neck 19 preferably comprises a short vertically disposed annular wall section 22 which at its lower end merges into a smooth curved Wall section 23 constituting an undercut wall section, which merges into the panel 17 so as to facilitate free flow of liquid into the opening 18. At its upper end, the vertical wall section 22 merges into an outwardly projecting annular nozzle locking flange 24 which terminates in a raw terminal edge 25 formed at the time the opening is punched from previously coated sheets of metal and normally subject to corrosion. The flange 24 preferably is straight and extends outwardly and downwardly as shown in FIG. 2 although it may be formed otherwise as in an inverted U-shaped curl 27 as shown in FIG. 3. In both forms the raw edge 25 3,122,289 Patented Feb. 25, reea is outside of the neck, away from the flow of the liquid contents of the container.

It will be understood that a flange configuration of any type desired may be used. In the preferred forms illustrated this flange presents surfaces which will have a firmly locking or latching action and is free of surfaces tapering in a direction which would assist in removal of a nozzle snapped thereover. For convenience such a configuration is designated as a downwardly facing locking configuration, and this language is used to describe the same hereinafter.

The nozzle 21 preferably is made of thermoplastic material such as polyethylene or the like and is formed for pressure fiting on the closure member neck 19. When once applied to the neck 19, the nozzle 21 is firmly attached thereto. For this purpose the nozzle 21 is formed with a base 31 which seats on top of the neck 19 when the nozzle is applied to the closure member. The nozzle base 31 is integrally formed with a depending annular support ring 32 which extends down into the neck 19 adjacent the inner surface of the vertical wall section 22 of the neck. The outside diameter of support ring 32 is slightly greater than the inside diameter of the vertical wall section 22 so that the ring is in a compressed condition when the nozzle is in place on the closure member. In this compressed condition the support ring 32 acts in the manner of a cork or stopper to retain the nozzle in the neck, and seals the container contents against contact with and possible contamination by the terminal edge 25. The lower end of the support ring 32 extends outwardly under a portion of the curved Wall section 23 of the neck 19 and thereby provides a modicum of locking action for holding the ring against vertical displacement. The depth of the ring 32 preferably is shorter than the depth of the neck 19 as shown in FIG. 2 so that the inner surface of the panel 17 is left unobstructed and free of any depending projections adjacent the nozzle to facilitate free flow of the liquid contents from the container and thereby ensures complete emptying of the container.

The nozzle base 31 is further formed with a depending outer skirt or collar 34- which is concentric with and surrounds the support ring 32 in spaced relation thereto. This collar 34 extends down around the outside of the neck 19 and is formed with radially inwardly extending portions 35 having an extent such that forcible movement past the flange 24- is required to assemble the nozzle 31 on the neck 19, and such that the latter engage behind the flange and project into relieved space 37 of the collar 34- when the nozzle is in place. In the preferred form shown, the portions 35 are shown as connected to form a complete annular lip portion of the collar 34, defining behind itself the annular relieved space or groove 37. When the nozzle 21 is applied to the closure member 13 the bottom of the collar 34 just clears the upper face of the closure member panel 17. This bottom edge of the collar 34 preferably is provided with an inwardly tapered or bevelled face 36 to facilitate force fitting the collar over the downwardly flared flange 24. The annular groove 37 is aligned horizontally with the neck flange 24 for the reception of the flange.

The neck flange 24 thus confined in the groove 37 firmly locks the collar 34 against vertical displacement and together with the support ring 32 on the inside of the neck 19 firmly locks the nozzle 21 against horizontal as well as vertical displacement so that the nozzle is firmly attached to the closure member 13. Moreover, with the particular relative dimensions and arrangement illustrated in the drawing an assembly is provided in which the attachment of the nozzle to the neck, once made, is substaatially permanent, and this is the form of the invention presently preferred. With the flange 24 in this confined position, its raw edge is seated in the lower corner of the groove 37 and is thus further protected against deleterious contact with materials presented to the exterior of the container, e.g. the contents of the container if inadvertently spilled ontop-of the closure member during dispensing.

Above the nozzle base 31, the nozzle 21 is formed with an upright tubular dispensing barrel 39 having a dispensing opening 41 communicating with the interior. of the container for the dispensing of the contents therefrom. This opening 41 normally is covered'by a removable plastic cap 4-2 which fits over the top of the. dispensing barrel 39 and is held in place by an annular locking bead 43 formed on the dispensing barrel and engaging in a groove 44 formed in the cap 42. The cap 42 preferably is formed as an integralpart of the nozzle base 31 and is connected thereto by a flexible strap 46 which provides a captive cap feature.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that there is provided, according to the present invention, an improved sheet metal closure member for a container in combination with a resilient plastic snapon dispensing nozzle, wherein deleterious contact etween the container contents and any raw edge at the nozzle opening of the closure is effectively prevented, but which is also capable of achieving this result in such a way as not to obstruct the flow of the contents to the dispensing opening and thereby permit complete emptying of the container. While the invention is of general utility in liquid dispensing, it finds especial application in those cases where the liquid product to be dispensed is not only capable of contamination by the corroded raw edges of the closure membut also tends to promote such corrosion as in the case of liquid detergent materials.

It is thought that the invention and many of its atten-dant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A dispensing end closure member for containers for corrosive liquids, comprising a sheet metal panel having scans for attaching said closure member to said container, said panel having an upstanding annular neck merging at its upper end into an outwardly projecting annular nozzlelocking flange which terminates in a downwardly and outwardly extended raw edge of sheet metal and a plastic nozzle permanently attached to said neck, said nozzle engaging over the upper end of said neck and having a depending annular support ring of an outside diameter in excess of the inside diameter of said neck for force fitting into said neck for at least substantially the full depth of said neck, said nozzle further having a depending outer collar concentric with and surrounding said support ring in spaced relation thereto and having an inside diameter less than the outside diameter of said flange for force fit over said flange, said collar having an internal annular groove for accommodating and confining said locking flange and its raw terminal edge to conceal said raw edge from view and to lock said nozzle under said flange against displacement from said neck.

2. A dispensing end closure member of the character defined in claim 1 wherein said neck is provided with an undercut locking wall section under which said nozzle support ring engages in a compressed condition to help retain said ring in place in said neck.

' 3. A dispensing end closure member of the character defined in claim 1 wherein said depending annular support ring is longer than the depth of said upstanding annular neck to provide for an unobstructed inner face of said closure member panel to facilitate complete emptying of said container.

4. As a new article of manufacture and sale a container comprising a transverseend member of sheet metal whose face portions each have a protective layer guarding it against corrosion, said end member having a neck struck up from the material of the end member in a-direction outwardly of the container to provide an outwardly extending neck with an outwardly disposed raw terminal edge which is corrosion-prone, and a nozzle member of resilient thermoplastic material having a downwardly extending tubular portion inserted in said neck from the upper end thereof with a force fit and extending, when in bottomed position; at least substantially the full length of the neck'so as to be sealed and retained thereinin stopper fashion and prevent access to said raw edge of a contained product, saidnozzle member further including an 7 exterior annular collar with a downwardly facing annular opening, said collar being located at a level to enclose and concealfrom external view portions of said neck and especially the raw terminal edge thereof when the tubular portion is in said bottomed position.

5. An article of manufacture and sale as set forth in claim 4 wherein the outer end of the neck is in the form of an outwardly extending flange, and the nozzle member includes a substantially radial portion extending inwardly from the outer wall of said collar to a point lying withinthe periphery of said flange for interfering with and snapping into underlying relation to said flange and there by providing for locking the nozzle in place against the possibility of inadvertent dislodgment of the tubular portion.

6. As a new article of manufacture and sale a container comprising a transverse end member of sheet metal having a neck struck up from the material thereof in a direction outwardly of the container to provide an outwardly extending neck with an outwardly disposed raw terminal edge, and a nozzle member of resilient thermoplastic material having a downwardly extending tubular portion inserted in said neck from the upper end thereof with a force tit and extending, when in bottomed position, at least substantially the full length of the neck so as to be sealed and retained therein in stopper fashion,

said nozzle member further including an exterior annular collar with a downwardly facing annular opening, said collar being located at a level to enclose and conceal from external view portions of said neck and especially the raw terminal edge thereof when the tubular portion is in said bottomed position.

7. An article of manufacture and sale as set forth inclaim 6 whereinthe outer end of the neck is in the form of an outwardly extending flange, and the nozzle member includes a substantially radial portion extending inwardly from the outer wall of said collar to a point lying within the periphery of said flange for interfering with and snapping into underlying relation to said flange andthereby providing for locking the nozzle in place against the possibility of inadvertent dislodgment of the tubular portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A DISPENSING END CLOSURE MEMBER FOR CONTAINERS FOR CORROSIVE LIQUIDS, COMPRISING A SHEET METAL PANEL HAVING MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID CLOSURE MEMBER TO SAID CONTAINER, SAID PANEL HAVING AN UPSTANDING ANNULAR NECK MERGING AT ITS UPPER END INTO AN OUTWARDLY PROJECTING ANNULAR NOZZLELOCKING FLANGE WHICH TERMINATES IN A DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY EXTENDED RAW EDGE OF SHEET METAL AND A PLASTIC NOZZLE PERMANENTLY ATTACHED TO SAID NECK, SAID NOZZLE ENGAGING OVER THE UPPER END OF SAID NECK AND HAVING A DEPENDING ANNULAR SUPPORT RING OF AN OUTSIDE DIAMETER IN EXCESS OF THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID NECK FOR FORCE FITTING INTO SAID NECK FOR AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL DEPTH OF SAID NECK, SAID NOZZLE FURTHER HAVING A DEPENDING OUTER COLLAR CONCENTRIC WITH AND SURROUNDING SAID SUPPORT RING IN SPACED RELATION THERETO AND HAVING AN INSIDE DIAMETER LESS THAN THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID FLANGE FOR FORCE FIT OVER SAID FLANGE, SAID COLLAR HAVING AN INTERNAL ANNULAR GROOVE FOR ACCOMMODATING AND CONFINING SAID LOCKING FLANGE AND ITS RAW TERMINAL EDGE TO CONCEAL SAID RAW EDGE FROM VIEW AND TO LOCK SAID NOZZLE UNDER SAID FLANGE AGAINST DISPLACEMENT FROM SAID NECK. 